A Torture Called Anxiety
by Celeste K. Raven
Summary: A one-shot that might open your eyes to Flora. Takes place just after Unwound Future.


_Flora sat on the edge of her bed drawing beads through a string. When she was finished at last a sense of accomplishment rose up in her, and she thought; ''It's done. I've finally finished it.'' _

_The string was red to match her bow and the beads had white block letters on them. Letters that spelled FLORA. _

_There was a gentle tapping sound. The professor's deep, reassuring voice carried through her door. _

''_Flora? Can we come in?''_

_The tall girl frowned at the word 'we'. 'We' didn't mean the Professor Layton who had saved her from her own house like a knight in shining armor. 'We' meant Hershel Layton… and his bothersome girlfriend. Somehow she had hoped Claire wouldn't be around this time. __Not that she would refuse a man entrance to a room in his own house. _

_''Yes, I have something to show you.''_

_The couple entered the room and Flora held out her necklace for them to see. _

''_Why, it's wonderful Flora!'' Claire exclaimed. ''Where did you find those beautiful beads?''_

''_In the closet,'' Flora said, not making eye contact. _

_Noticing that the young girl wanted a response from him also, the Professor mumbled, ''Ah, yes. Very nice.'' _

_Flora placed the necklace over her dress, nodding mutely. Layton didn't seem to care about anything she did anymore. _

''_Now, Flora, I don't want you to get yourself worked up...'' He hesitated, unsure of how to continue. ''There's something Claire and I have been thinking about for a while.'' _

_Flora looked at the two of them with equal parts curiosity and caution. _

''_We haven't... been together in many years and we want to get to know each other again. Like we _used_ to know each other.'' Layton searched Flora's gaze for any sort of recognition. Getting none, he simply asked, ''Do you know what I mean dear?''_

_Flora honestly had no clue what he meant, so naturally she guessed the worst thing she could imagine .''You two want to have a baby?''_

_Claire's face went a little red at that, but not as red as the Professor's. ''Oh, goodness no. Not for many more years. Perhaps after we're married. That wouldn't be a good example for Luke and you if we rushed into anything serious.'' _

_He hesitated once more, and then added.,''We're going on a trip.''_

''_A trip?''_

''_Yes, Claire and I are going to travel around a bit. See some of the beauty the world outside of London has to offer. Places like Rome and Italy and Egypt.''_

''_Rome and Italy and Egypt,'' Flora parroted, not knowing what to say or how to react. After an awkward moment of silence she wrapped her head around what he was saying enough to ask; ''And what happens to me while you're gone?''_

_The Professor laughed his deep, good-natured chuckle which, as of that day, held no sense of comfort for Flora. ''Our hope is that nothing happens to you. Luke will stay with his parents and you will stay here.''_

''_Alone?'' _

''_Don't worry, Flora,'' Claire said, putting a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. ''Luke will visit you every day and we will write you letters. Think of all the wonderful presents we can send you from far off lands.'' _

_Flora didn't have the strength to shake Claire's hand off, she just stared back at her with dull eyes. Flora hated this woman. _

* * *

><p>The Golden Apple opened her eyes and blinked.<p>

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

She took a deep breath, pushing all air out of her body, _hard_, as if her fear might go with it. Which of course it did not.

Flora considered getting up and checking on the professor once more. She had done this almost every night since she'd arrived at his little London flat. At very rare times she would wake him up and then he would make her tea or warm milk. They would sit down at the table and talk, mostly about him because Flora hated to talk about herself but loved asking questions. It always ended with a promise to go somewhere exciting in the morning and Layton carrying the sleeping girl back into her room.

On most nights she would pull his door opened just a creak. Just enough to see him; just enough to reassure herself that he was not gone, had not left, and had no intention of leaving.

_No._ Flora told herself firmly. _I am not going to check. The Professor is sleeping just where he always is, Luke is on the coach, Claire is dead. _

One would be wrong to believe Flora the kind of girl to comfort herself with thought of a dead woman. Claire brought her feelings of anger, of fear, and of guilt. These feeling could not be washed away by the simple separation of body and soul.

Anger. _She's going to take him away from me. Luke and the Professor are the only people I have and she's going to make him leave me. She belongs in the past, not the future. _

Fear. _I am helpless. I am pathetic. If just one man was taken out of my life I would have nothing. He is not even my family. Is there nothing I can do about this? Maybe I should have just taken my fortune. The residents of St. Mystere were not built to last forever. They were built for me. _

Guilt. _They are so happy together. Why should I wish them to be torn apart? Messing with time and space is wrong… but I would do it for someone I love.?_

Flora closed her eyes and tried to force herself back to sleep. _I should never have followed them into that clockwork shop. I would have fretted all day long, but at least my fretting would've end when the sun went down. At least I would know for sure that no one could ever come out of practically nowhere and change everything. At least…_

The brown haired girl fell asleep and stayed that way for a very long time. Her worries greeted her again in the morning.

* * *

><p><strong>I wrote this all in a rush late at night. If you see SPAG mistakes and bother to tell me I'll fix them. Other than that, did it flow well? Were you confused? Do you think Flora would really feel this way about Claire? I want to know.<strong>


End file.
